Casing head



N. P. KREBS CASING HEAD Feb. 9 1926.

Filed April 24, 1923 l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 wrm/pr 9 v Ma/aj f. A/rs WW I /7/5/47/70//763 resident of Brea,

Patented Feb; 9, 1926.`

NICOLA: PETER xEEEs, oEnEEA, jCALIFORNIA.

oAsING HEAD.

Application mea Aprn 24, 192s. serial No. 634,259.

To rZZfwhom it may concern: l

Be it known 'that I, NIcoLAJ PETER Kanus, a 'subject of the King of Denmarlg'and a of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Casing which the' following is a specilication. This invention has to do with a .casing head, and hasparticular reference to that general type of head .adapted to be mounted on a. casing,l having a drill pipe, or the-like, extending into it to pack the drill pipe with the casing.

In drilling wells where there is a drill pipe, or vthe like, extending downwardly through a casing a head is usually mounted on the c asing'to carry packing to pack the pipe with the casing. With ordinary heads used for this purpose it is usually inconvenient. and difficult to install the packing if the well is iowing, or to renew the packing when it wears or .1s blown out, and it is impossible to "close .the casing if the drill pipe isdrawn or blown out of the casing.

It is an objecto this invention to provide a head for use in'a situation such as I have abovefreferred to, which has a reliable effective auxiliary packing means that can be be put in operation to relieve or to operate in place of the regular packing.

Another object of this `invention is to provide a head of the general character above referred tofhavingmeans operable to comerating means't'or pletely close the. casing -upon removal of the drill pipe.

Another object of the present invention is toprovide a simple, novel and effective opthe auxiliary packing be easily and quickly put whereby 1t can into or taken out of o eration and whereby it may be controlled rom a point removedA from the head.

Anotherv object of my present invention is to provide means in a head of the character above specified whereby the auxiliary pack ing and closingmeans operate automatically upon 'the regular packing being blown out.

The objects andlfeatures of' my invention.

will be best andrnore fully understood from the'following .detail description of a typical preferred form of the invention, throughout which description reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig., 1 is a vertical sectional'view showing a head embodying. the present invention in county .of Orange, State Heads, vof

operating position on a casing and drill pipe, the auxiliary packing means being shown in operating position;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1,.the auxiliary packing means being shown out of operation;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the head illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, being a'view showing the' operating means for-the auxiliary packing; and 1 Fig. 4 isa detail sectional view taken as indicated by line 4--4 onpFig. 1.

Throughout the drawing designates a typical well caslng, numeral 11 a drill pipe arranged to extend downwardly in the casing 10, and numeral 12 the head embodyingl the present invention which is adapted tobe mounted on the upper nend of the casing 10, and to pack the drill pipe with the casino. When I herein refer to a drillpipe, or thelike, I mean, ofcourse, to include any device or object that may be arranged in the casing and in connection with' which a device such as I herein refer to may be used. i

The' vhead 12, provided by this inyention, includes, generally, a frame, operating or regular packing means 13, carried by the frame to pack the casing with the drill pipe, packing means 14 adapted to be put into operation to relieve or take the place of thelregular p cking means 13, operating means 15 for lie auxiliary packing 14, means 16 for completely closing the casing when the drill pipe is removed therefrom, and means 16a whereby the auxiliary pack-y ing is automatically operated upon blowing ou-t ofthe regular packing.

The frame of thehead '12 linclud d part 1 7, an annular flange part 18 exten ing downwardly rom the bottox'n 19 of the body 17, and an annular'lange part 20 'exftending upwardly from the top -21 of the body 17 concentrically with the yflange part 18. The flange 'partlS is screw threaded to `receive the casing 10, as I vhave clearly illustrated in the drawings.' The frame is s numeral 10 preferablya casting, having its'various parts I shaped and proportioned to accommodate and properly carry the variousother parts of the-device, as I will hereinafter describe.

The'I regular packing 13 includes an an nular bodyof acking material 22 adaptl ed to t aroun the drill pipe and .to be 'carried in asuitable seat 23 formed m the f. and 24". The seat 23 is formed in the flange part from its upper end so that the struc'- ture formed by the body of packing and.

rings can be readily arranged in it from the upper end of the flange. A retaining ring 26a is screw threaded to the upper end portion of the flange 20 to retain the rings 24 and 24 and packing 22 in. place in the seat 23` and so that it can be tightened to force the ring 2-1 downwardly so that it expands the body of packing between the seat and drill pipe. As the packing 22 wears away it can be tightened bytightening the retaining ring 26a and when it is necessary to replace the packing 22 it is merely necessary to remove the retaining ring-26n and lift the rings 24 and 24 with :the paeking22 out of the seat 23.

The auxiliary packing means 14. includes a body ot packing materially adapted to be arranged around the drill pipe in a suitable seat 25 provided in the lower 'part of the flange 20. In accordance with my invention,- the body of packing is formed in two sections 26'which are semicircularin shape and are designed' and proportioned so that thev lit together to completely fill the space between the seat 25 and drill pipe when arranged in the seat. The packing sections 26 are mounted on carriers 28 arranged and mounted in the body 17 of the trame. The packing sections'26 may be held on the carrier by semicircular plates 29 which are adapted to fit into the bottom of the seat 25 and are connected with the carriers by screws 30 which extend between the plates and carriers and through the packing sections, in the manner clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.-

The carriers 28 are pivotally mounted in the body 17, being carried on shafts 31, so

that they are movable between a position where they hold the packing sections clear of the seat 25 and drill pipe,1as shown in Fig. 2, and a position where they hold the packing sections Vin the seat, as illustrated 11i Fig. 1. When the shafts 31 are related to the seat in the particular manner illustrated in the drawings, the plates-29 are cut away at 29a 4so that they will clear the pipe when the carriers are operated. The carriers 28 are preferably more or less loosely mounted on ,the shafts 31- so that the manner clearly 1 One end of each o the packing sections are more or less free to center or seat themselves in the seat 25 when they are put into operation. The shafts 31 extend through the body 17 between the side walls 38 and 39 thereof, in illustrated in Fig. "4. the shafts 31 is carried in a suitable bearing boss 40 provided on` the wall 38, while the other end projects from the body through a suitable stufling box 41 carried by the wall 39. In the form of the invention illustrated inthe drawings, the carriers, although loosely mounted on the shafts, are operatively connected with the shafts s o that they are swung, as between their open4 and closed positions, which I have above described, by rotation of theshafts. In the drawing-SI have illustrated the shafts 31 'of irregular configuration whereY they extend through the body, and haveshown them extending more or less loosely through openings`50 of similar confiuration, provided in the bosses 51 of the carriers. This particular manner of mounting the carriers 28 on the shafts 31 is particularly simple and allows proper seating ot the packintr sections and yet makes the carriers operable from the shafts.

The operating means which I have proyvided for the auxiliary packing means, in-l cludes an interconnectlon between the shafts 31 and an operating lever 52. The interconnection between the shafts 31 issuch as to cause .them to operate in synchronism in opposite directions so that they will cause simultaneous operation of the carriers 28 and, in the particular form of the invention illustrated in the drawings,v includes gear segments 53 secured on the ends of the shafts projecting from the bodv so that they mesh, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The operating lever 52 may be connected with the shafts or segments in any desired manner, for instance, it may be formed integra-l with one of the gear segments, as I have clearly illustrated vin the drawings. .In practice the operating lever 52 may be actuated by hand, or it may be operated from a point removed from the device through a suitable vrod or other connection. Y

The means 16 closing the-head, and, therefore., the casing, in the event that the drill pipe is removed from the casing.' This means includes two gates 60 adapted to be positioned so that they close the opening-through the auxiliary packing means when said auxiliary packing means is in the operating position. Inthe particular form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the gates are pivotally mounted on the carriers 28, as I have'clearly illustrated in Figs. 1, 2. and 4 of the drawings. The outer ends 61 of the gates 60 are straight andtlat and are adapted to come together when the gates are closed. In aci coi-dance with the preferred form of the inauxiliary packing t provides for completely that they extend into seats 64 formed in the carriers 28 when the gates are closed.- The bodies ofpacking 63- may be mounted on the gates by suitable bolts 65. The gates are preferably loosely p'ivotally connected with the carriers by mea-ns of suitable shafts 66 so that they are more or le'ss freely movable to allow the packings 63 to properly seat in the seat 64.4 The shafts 66 are `car ried by lugs 67 'which project from the backs of the carriers 28. I preferably provide springs 69 in connection with the gates 60 to normally yieldingly hold them in the closed position where the packings 63v are in the seats 64. The springs 69 allow the gates to be held out by the drill pipe when the i auxiliary packing is arranged in operative position around a drill pipe and causesy the gates to close automatically upon removal of the drill pipe. It will be obvious that the invention might becarried out by providing a singlegate suiiciently large to `completely close the opening through the auxiliary packing means, however, this construction would necessitate making the body of the frame larger than. is required by the con-V struction I have described.

I provide a by-pass pipe 7() between the body portion of the frame and the middle portion of the flange 20` so that pressure can i lbe communicated between these parts of ythe device.- I provide a control valve 71 in the by-pass 7 0 so that the communication of.

pressure can be controlled.

The .means16 provided for causing the auxil1arypacking14 to automatically move to o erating position in the event that the regu ar packing blows out, includes baiiies 80' arran in the body so that they will direct fluid flowing through the body ofthe head :from the casing to the rear of the car-l riers 28 so that they are swung` upto thel closed or operating position.` The baies 80 may be supported in the body 17 by suitable ribs 81, and may in any given case be designedl and proportioned lso that ,they direct the fluid in the desired manner.

In operat'on the head 17 is arranged on the casing. The-regular the retaining ring 26 is screw threaded on the'iange to retain' the 2.- afcking in place and to expand Iit so that fit packsthe drill pipe. When the drill pipe is in operation it isknoimally preferred that the auxiliary packing means be' maintained in the released position, that is, where the 4carriers 28 are out or down, .as I have .clearly illustratedin Fig. 2. "However, at any time when it is desired to relieve-or replace the regular packing 13 the' auxiliary packing may be easily Vand quickly put' into oper- Y ation by operating the shafts 3,1'in the proper means direction through 'the operatfng .itis desired to re moving the gates close t ie opening in the auxiliary packing. i

. around vthe pipe,

175. As soonas theauxiliarypacking is moved int'ooperating position the. pressure from the casing will hold it there and will expand Athe pwck'ng sections26 so that they pack the drill pipe tightly. lVhen Itheauxiliary. packing 14 1s in oper'- 70 ating position the regular` packing 13 can be removed and re laced as desired.V ,llhen ibase the aux liarypack-l ing, for instance, whenthe regularpacking i., has been put into operating condition, the 75- control lvalve 71 'in the by-passO is open so that the pressure is equalized at the two sides of the auxiliary pack'ng, allowing` the gates to open by gravity or to' be swung open by actuation 'of the operating means 80 15. If at any time thev regular packing 1.3 blows out when the auxiliary, packing 14 ris l outbf operation the baiiles will direct l the flow of vfluid to the back of the carriers 28 so that'they are swung upto the operlating position, or, it this means fails to work the auxiliary packing can be easily and quickly thrown into operation through th operatingmeans. Further, if. at any time the drill p'pe is pulled 0r blown out 90 i .gates 60 to come intoy position where' they close .the opening through the auxiliary packing.l It wil be obvious, of course, that wheutlie drill pipeis'removed' there is nothing to prevent the springs '69 from to the position where they Having described only a typical preferred 1,00 form of -my invention I d o not wish l to limit myself to the specific details `hereinabove set forth but wish to reserve to myi self any changesor variations that may apar to those skilled in theart or fall wlthinthe scope of the following claims:

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A head adapted tobeinounted on a casing having adrill pipe in it includng a frame adaptedto be mounted on .the casing, packing'means carried by lthe frame' to en-l gage the pipe, a tapered seat in the frame` and auxiliary packing carried by the frame to be operable to position in thev seat to engage the p'pe.4 110 y2. A head adapted to be mounted o n a casing having a drillpipe init including a frame adapted to be mounted en the Iraising, packing means carried by gthe frame to engage the pipe, -a tapered 'sea-t in the frame 120 around the p'pe, and auxiliary packing c arried by the fra-me embodying sections of packing'- loosely Vpivotally mountedso thatthey are operable between a position where they arel separated.and-clear" ofthe pipe and a position where they are together and in the seat to operatively-engage the pipe. 3. A head `adapted to .be mounted on a casying having a drill pipein it including ai frame, packing means carried by the frame 9 l to operatively engage the pi e, auxiliary packing means carried by the rame so that 1t` is operable to operatively engage the pipe at a point spaced below the first mentioned packmg means, and a hy-passbetween the space between the two packing means and the lower side of `the auxiliary packing means.

4. A head adapted to be mounted on a casing having a drill pipe in it includingv a frame, packing. means carried by the frame to operatively engage thepipe, auxiliary packing means carried by the frame so that 1t is operable to operatively engage the pipe at a point spaced below the first mentioned packing means, a pressure transmitting connection between the space between the two packing means and the under side of the auxiliary packing means, aridcontrol means for the connection. 4

5. A head adapted to be mounted on a cas ing having a drill pipe in it/including a frame including` a body adapted 'to be mounted in the casing and a part extending upwardly from the body, packing carried by said part to operatively engage the pipe, auxiliary packing carried by the body to be operable to a position where it operatively engages the pipe atl a` point spaced below the first mentioned packing, and a by-pass between the body below the auxiliary packing and said part at a point between the two packings. 6. A head adapted to be mounted on a casing havinga drill pipe in it including a frame including a body adapted to be -mounted on thecasing and a flange part extending upwardly from the body concentric with the casing, packing carried by said flange part so'that 1t operatively engages the pipe and is removable. from -the upper end of said part, two shafts extending into the body at opposite sides of the pipe, carriers arranged in the bodyand mounted on the shafts so that they are swung by rotation of the shafts, a downwardly facing seat inthe vfra-me, packing segments carried by the carriers and adapted to be carried by them into position in the seat so that they extend around andoperatively `engage the pipe, and means for delecting the vflow of fluid thrqu h the head back of the carriers so that tlgie carriers are actuated to position where the segments are in the' seat upon outward ilow of fluid through the'head.

7. A head adapted to be mounted on a. casing having a drill v4pipe .in it including a frame'adapted to be mounted on the casing, packing meansy carried by the Avframe to engage the pipe, auxiliary packin means carried by the frame and adaptedg to be actuated to engage the pipe, and baffles whereby the auxiliary packing-means is automatical-I ly actuated to' engage vthe pipe upon flow of fluid outwardly through the head.

8. 4A head adapted to be mbunted on a casing having a drill pipe in it including a frame adapted to be mounted on the casing, packing means carried by the frame to engage the ipe, auxiliary packing means carried by tieframe to be actuated to enga e ing having a drill pipe in it includin a frame adaptedto be mounted on thecasmg and having an opening through 1t -to pass the pipe, packing means carried by the frame at the opening /to operatively engage the pipe, auxiliary packing means carried by the frame so that it is operable to opera- -tively engage the pipe, and means in connection with the auxiliary acking means to close the head u on remova}l of the pipe.

10.'A head a apted to be mounted on a casing having a drill pipel in it including a frame adapted to be mounted on the cas-l pass the pipe, packing means carried by the frame. at the opening to operatively engage the pipe, auxiliary packing means mounted in the frame to be actuated to a position where it extends around the pipe to operatively engage it, and means for closing the openmgthroughthe auxiliary packing means u on removal of the pipe.

11. A hea adapted' to be mounted on a casing having a`drill pipe .in it including a frame adapted to be mounted on the casing and having an opening through it to pass the pipe, packing means carried by the frame at the'opening to operatively engage the pipe, packing means mounted inthe frame to be actuated to aposition where it extends around the pipe to operatively engage it, and means for automatically closing the opening through the auxiliary pack- `ing and having an opening through it to mg means upon removal of t'he pipe.

12,'A head adav vted to be mounted on a casing having a drill pipe in it including are movable to carry the sections into posiv tion lwhere they cooperatively engage and extend around the pipe,and gates carried by the carriers so that they are `movable cooperate to close into position where theyl1 t packing sections a frame adapted to be mounted on the cas-l ing, packing' means carried by the frame and adapted to be actuated to enga e the pipe, auxiliary packing means opera le to engage the lpi e and baiiies whereby the auxiliar packmg means is automatically actuat to enga e the pipe upon How of Huid outwardly t rough the head. t

14. Ahead adapted to be mounted on a casing having a drill pipe in it including a frame having a taperedseat around the drill pipe, packing, means mounting the packing in the frame so that it is pivotally movable into the seat to engave the drill pipe and is movable longitudina lyof the drill pipe in the seat. 15. A head adapted to be mounted on a casing havin a drill pipe in it including a frame, packing carried by the frame and having an opening to pass the drill pipe, carriers for the packing movable into and out oi position Where the packing packs around the drill pipe, and means carried by the said carriers for closing the hole in said packing upon removal of the drill ipe.

16. A head adapted to be mounte on a casing having` a drill `pipe in it includingva l frame, packing carried by the frame and having an yopening.. to pass the drill plpe, said packing being movableinto and out of .position Where itpacks around the drill pipe, -and "gates pivotally carried by said tirst mentioned packing tofclose the hole in said first mentioned of the drill pipe. y

17. A headadapted to be mounted on a casing having a drill pipe in it including a frame, packing carried vby `the frame and having an opening'atopass the drill pipe, said packing being movableinto and out of position where it acksaround the drill pipe, means carried y saidy packing operable to close the hole inthe acking and packing upon removal means normally yieldingly ten ingto operate said means.

18. A head adapted to ,be mounted on a casing having a drill pipe in it including a frame, packing carried bythe frame and.

having an opening to pass: the drill pipe,

'said packing including f1 two pivotallyA mounted sections movable :to a position where they engage arondthe pipe, land packing sectionsl pivotally mounted on the first mentioned sections operable to close the saidopening when the ipe is removed.

In witness that I clalmthe foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my. name this 11th day of April, 1923.

Nicolau PETER KREBS. e 

